My name is Benjamin Olson and I’m the new sports reporter covering Bellevue, Issaquah, Snoqualmie and Mercer Island. I wanted to take the time to introduce myself to you, the readers.

I’m originally from Spokane, but I moved across the state to attend Western Washington University in Bellingham. I graduated with a journalism degree last year and I couldn’t be more excited to start covering sports, something I’ve dreamed of for years.

I inherited my love of sports and writing from my grandfather, an editorial writer with the Denver Post. He would send me newspaper clips and magazines in the mail, mostly about the Denver Broncos. I would read about Terrell Davis’ 2,000-yard rushing season in 1998 and John Elway’s heroic dive against the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII over and over again. I read through them so much the paper started falling apart and my mom had to reinforce them with clear packing tape.

Unlike my favorite sports stars, my attempts at playing sports were unremarkable at best. When I joined the freshman football team in high school, I spent most of my games standing on the sidelines. After that year, I decided it was best for me to stick with observing.

I’m looking forward to telling the stories of all the gifted athletes in the area. It hasn’t taken me long to learn that people in the Eastside are passionate about their sports and that translates to successful programs. The fall is just around the corner and there are lots of sports on the horizon.

I’m also looking forward to the beginning of the high school gymnastics season in the winter. Over the last two years I’ve begun following the sport, thanks in large part to my girlfriend, a club gymnastics coach and former gymnast for 14 years. I’m sure when I cover gymnastics, she will be my harshest critic. If I confuse the parallel bars with the uneven bars, trust me, I’ll be hearing about it.

If there’s one thing I hope you take away from my rambling, it’s that I’m passionate about sports and I’m excited to write as much as I can about the areas I’ll be covering. For me sports has always been about the human-interest stories. It’s about much more than just a competition, it’s about perseverance, triumph and defeat. A big part of my job is to find those stories that are hidden in the numbers of a box score.

If you ever think there is something I should be covering, I would love to hear about it. You can send me an email at benjaminolson@soundpublishing.com or give me a call at (425)-453-5045.